Device for opening cans



Nov. 16, 1937. o. N. wlsWELL DEVICE FOR OPENING CANS Filed July 14, 1934 have Patented Nov. 16, 1937 Mer DEVICE FOR OPENING CANS @tro N. Wiswell, Los

Angeles, Calif., assigner to Swingspout Measure Company, Los Angeles, Caiii., a corporation of California Appication `uly 14, 1934, Serial No. 735,258

18 Claims.

This invention relates to a container opening device and relates more particularly to a device for opening cans and for dispensing the contents therefrom. A general object of the present invention is to provide a simple, effective device for opening cans and for facilitating the pouring of the contents therefrom that embodies a practical means for mutilating or perforating the cans to make them unfit for relling.

Various products such as lubricating oils, etc., are marketed in sealed containers or cans to prevent them from being adulterated or substituted for by inferior products. The devices that have been employed for opening cans and dispensing 1,-) their contents usually cut an opening or openings in an end of the can. leaving the side wall ci the can Whole and imperforate. The side wall of a can usually bears the label denoting the maker and the quality of the product and it has been found that cans opened by typical can openers been provided with new ends and refilled with inferior products so that the inferior products might be sold or passed ou as the products described by the original labels.

Another object of the present invention is to t" provide a device for opening cans that cuts a pouring or draining opening in an end of a can and perforates the side wall of the can positively rendering the can unt for refilling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for opening cans that is operatable to cut a large unobstructed pouring opening in an end of a can, then constitute a spout for facilitating the pouring of the contents from the can, and form or cut a row or series of perforations in the side wall of the can so that the can may not be relled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character mentioned that cuts g a plurality of perforations in the side wall of the can and immediately recloses and seals the perforations while the principal cutter is being driven through an end of the can to form the pouring opening and automatically reopens the i5 perforations when the principal cutter is disengaged from the can. The perforating cutter embodied in the device of the present invention Yreadily reopens the perforations in the side wall when the device is disengaged from the can so "9 that very little eiiort is required on the part of the user to detach the device from the can.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for opening cans that cannot be de- 55 tached or removed from a can after forming a provide a device of the character mentioned that includes a simple eiiective cutter for cutting and reopening the mutilating perforations.

Other objects and features of my invention will be better and more fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical v form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a device embodying the present invention showing it in position on a can after cutting the pouring opening therein. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal detailed sectional view of the device in its final position on the can. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse detailed sectional view taken substantially as indicated by line 3-3 onA Fig. 2. Fig. e is a fragmentary detailed sectional view illustrating the operation of the perforating cutter during the forming of the pouring opening. Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the operation of the perforating cutter during the removal of the device from the can.

The can opening device of this invention includes, generally, a body lll comprising a combined handle and spout A and a guide B, a principal cutter Il adapted to be forced through an end wall of the can C to cut a pouring opening therein and means l2 for cutting through or mutilating the side wall W of the can.

. and to be readily inserted in the oil filling pipes of the engines oi vehicles, etc. In practice the exterior of the handle and spout A may be provided with a longitudinal series of grooves i3 and spaced ribs ill to prevent the spout from tilting or slipping when supporting a can on the oil filling pipe of an engine. The particular spout and handle A illustrated in the drawing is cylindrical in its cross sectional configuration. A longilll tudinal pouring opening Itl extends through the handle and spout from one end to the other.

The body IG and its spout A is of the character described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 735,260 iiled July l/i, 1934-.

The guide B extends from the lower end of the handle and spout A to engage the side wall W of the can to guide the principal cutter I i during the cutting or forming of the pouring opening. 'Ihe guide B may be shaped to conform generally to cans or containers oi any general type. In the particular construction illustrated in the ldrawing the guide B is transversely curved adapting the device to open the typical or usual cylindrical cans. guide B formed as illustrated in the drawing is also capable of properly guiding Ythe cutter ll when the device is employed to open iiat sided cans. The guide B is preferably comparatively long and provided with a rounded lower end.

The principal cutter Il is adapted to be driven or forced through an end or end wall of the can C to cut a pouring or draining opening therein. The cutter il is substantially U-shaped in transverse cross section and. is provided with downwardly and outwardly inclined edges i5 converging to a point I5 at the lower end of thecutter. The curved outer portion Il of the cutter Ii opposes and is spaced from the can engaging inner surface I 8 of the guide B. The principal cutter Il is provided with a shank l which is received in the lower portion of the pouring opening The shank i9 is longitudinally and transversely curved to conform to the walls of the opening it. A bolt 20 connects the shank l to the handle and spout A and attaches the principal cutter ll to the body Iii. The cutter il is disposed so that its outer curved portion I l is inclined downwardly and outwardly with respect to the can engaging surface i3 of the guide B. The guide B projects downwardly beyond the point i6 of the cutter Il to guide the point into the end or" the can adjacent its bead D. n the preferred construction the lower portion 2l of the cutter i i is turned or bent inwardly or away from the guide B. The lower portion of the cutter being shaped in this manner allows the bead D to be readily entered or passed between the point portion of the cutter and the wall lil of the guide.

The inclination or" the cutter il with respect to the guide B is such that the side wall W of the can is eifectively gripped between the cutter portion i7 and the surface i8 of the guide to connect the device with the can and prevent it from becoming displaced from the can during the pouring of its contents. The principal cutter il more or less flexible to allow the bead D to pass between it and the surface le? of the guide. When the principal cutter il has been forced through the end wall of the can so that the side wall W is received between the guide B and the cutter portion Il', the cutter is flexed or sprung away from the guide and has less inclination relative to the guide. One or more drain openings 22 are provided in the wall of the cutter li to allowV the liquid to freely drain from behind the cutter when the can C is tipped or inverted to pour its contents through the spout opening Ii. To cut the pouring or draining opening in the can C the lower projecting portion oi the guide B is placed against the bead D and the can wall W so that the cutter point i6 engages the upper end of the can adjacent the bead. The combined handle and spout A is then engaged andthe device is pressed or driven downwardly to force the Cutter t will be apparent that thev Y ing in the end of the can.

'A downwardly projecting llip 23 is provided on the body Ill at the lower end of the handle and spout A.` The lip 23 extends between the spaced parts of the U-shaped cutter i I to brace and reinforce the cutter. The vouter surface 2li of the lip 23` is substantially flush with the inclined edges I 5 of the cutter l I to tightly bear and seal against the flap that is rolled back by the edges i5 during the cutting operation. This function of the lip 23 prevents the leakage of liquid from around the inner side of the principal cutter il. The device may include means for cutting or forming an air inlet opening in the can C to facilitate the easy and speedy pouring of the liquid from the can. This means may comprise a punch 25 projecting from the lower end of a protuberance or lug 25 on theouter Vside of the guide B. The punch 25 is operatable to readily cut an air inlet opening 27 in the upper end of the can C, prior to the cutting of the principal draining or pouring opening, Vto allow the contents to be more readily poured from the can through the spout A.

The means l2 operates to provide an opening or la series of openings in the side wall W of the can so that the can is no longer capable of containing liquid even when the end cut by the principal cutter I I has been replaced. The mutilating means I2 of the present invention is characterized by the fact that its can cutting or mutilating function does not interfere with the proper easy operation of the principal cutter II and does not' make it diflicult for the user to readily detach or remove the device from the opened empty can. The means I2 includes a rotatable cutter 29 for cutting an opening or openings in l the side wall W of the can as the principal cutter Il is forced through the end of the can, which opening or openings are immediately closed and sealed during the actuation of the cutter I I and are then re-opened by the cutter 29 as the deviceris removed from the can.

In the preferred construction the cutter 29 is carried by the guide B, it being obvious that the cutter 29 may be carried by the principal cutter II if desired. A lug 30 isrprcvided on the rear or outer side of the guide B and a longitudinal slot or opening 3! extends through the lug 'c and the wall of the guide. The opening 3| may be in the form of a cut extending upwardly from the lower end of the guide B. A pin 32 is arranged in a transverse opening in the lug 36 and extends through va central opening in the cutter 29- to support the cutter for rotation. The opposite ends of the pin 32 may be enlarged or riveted over to prevent displacement of the pin and cutter 29.

The cutter 29 is a flat disc or plate like member provided with a plurality of peripheral teeth 3. The periphery of the cutter 29 is serrated or provided with a plurality ofY equally spaced notches 34 of partially. circular shape which leave or provide the cutting teeth 33. The walls of the notches 34 form the rear sides of the teeth 33, considering the cutter 29 as rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow X in Fig. l of the drawing. The walls of the; notches Sli also form the'base portions of the leading sides of the teeth 33. rLhe outer portions of the leading sides of the teeth 33 are provided with substantially at faces 35 Vwhich are pitched outwardly and rearwardly relative to the direction of rotation indicated by the arrow in Figi 4. The substantially flat faces 35 join the rear sides of the teeth 33 at comparatively sharp cutting edges 33.

The cutter 29 is positioned so that its 33 may project from the B. As the principal cutter H is driven through the end of the can C one of the teeth 33 engages the bead D of the can and causes the cutter 29 to be turned so that the next tooth 33 is projected from the guide into contact with the wall W of the can. The point of engagement of this next tooth 33 with the can wall W is spaced some distance below the bead D and the spaced teeth 33 thus straddle the bead D without cutting the bead. 'I'he substantially flat face 35 of the tooth 33 which is acting on the wall W bears on the can wall W and may cause the wall W to bend inwardly to some extent, this inward bending being limited by the curved portion Il' of the cutter Il. The cutting edge 36 then engages and cuts through the can wall W and the flat face 35 bears inwardly against the tongue or flap F formed by the cut causing the flap F to be bent inwardly and upwardly. The other teeth 33 of the cutter 29 are successively projected from the surface I8 of the guide B to function in the manner just described and form longitudinally spaced openings or perforations O in the can wall W. The operation of the cutter 29 during the forming of the drain or pouring opening in the end of the can is fully illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing. 1t is important to note that the cutting teeth 33 formed or shaped as described above operate to readily form the spaced openings O in the can wall W and bend the tabs or flaps F inwardly and upwardly.

In accordance with the invention the openings O formed by the cutter 29 duringrthe downward movement of the device on the can C are closed almost immediately after being formed. Means is provided on the principal cutter Il for bending the tongues or flaps F back into the openings O and for ironing out or smoothing the flaps F and the edges of the openings O. A depression or recess 31 is provided in the face of the cutter portion l1 opposing the opening 3l, The recess 31 is provided to receive the projecting toothed portion of the cutter 29 and may be formed by pressing or bending the wall of the cutter Il inwardly. The recess 3'! is comparatively narrow and is sufficiently deep to receive the projecting portions of the cutter Z9 with suitable clearance. The lower end of the recess 3i occurs in or at the inturned end portion 2l of the cutter il so that it is shallow and pre'- sents only a short end wall. The upper end wall 33 of the recess 3'! gradually curves outwardly to join the outer surface of the cutter portion Il.

teeth AThis wall or surface 38 constitutesI the iiap straightening and smoothing'element. A cornparatively shallow longitudinal groove 49 is provided in the outer surface of the principal cutter portion il'. The groove 49 extends upwardly from a point a short distance above the surface 38 to a point adjacent the upper end of the active portion of the cutter Il. The longitudinal groove 40 is provided to receive the portion of the can wall W that has been provided with the Aopenings O so that the edge portions about the iiaps Fand the closed openings O are not directly contacted by the principal cutter H and are not tightly forced against the guide surface i3.

surface I8 ofthe guidev In employing the device of the present invention to open a can the punch 25 may be driven through an end of the can to form an air vent or opening 2T. The device is then positioned so that the cutter point it engages the end of the can at a point substantially opposite the air vent 21. The projecting lower portion of the guide B is arranged against the bead D and the can wall W so that the cutter point i6 engages the end of the can adjacent the bead D. The device is then vpu-shed or forced downwardly to drive the principal cutter l i through the end of the can to form the pouring opening therein. The inclined edges l of the principal cutter il bend or roll the flap formed by the cutter upwardly and inwardly t9 leave a clear unobstructed opening in directy alignment with the pouring opening I4 of the spout A. As described above the principal cutter il flexes away from the guide B during the cutting operation just described and assumes a position somewhat as illustrated in Fig. 2. The lip 24 bears against the inner wall of the pouring opening formed in the can to prevent the leakage of fluid and to aid in removably holding the device on the can.

As the device is pushed or forced downwardly to form or cut the pouring opening in the end of the can a tooth 33 of the cutter 29 comes into contact with the bead D and because of the downward movement of the device this contact results in turning of the cutter 29 in the directionindicated by the arrow X in Fig. 4. This rotation of the cutter 29 brings 'one of the teeth 33 into engagement with the can wall W and frees or moves the first mentioned tooth 33 out of contact with the bead D. n this manner the bead/D is straddled by the cutter 29 and is left uncut. As the device moves downwardly on the can the teeth 33 of the cutter Z9 are successively fed into cutting or perforating contact with the can wall W. The substantially flat surfaces of the teeth come into bearing or pressure engagement with the can wall W and as the rotation of the cutter 29 continues the edges 33 cut through the can wail. The forward sides of the teeth 33 and the surfaces 35 bend the flaps F upwardly and inwardly to leave or form the openings O. Immediately following the forming or cutting of an opening O the downward movement of the device brings the surface 38 into engagement with the inner side of the ap F pushed from the opening O. The downwardly moving surface 33 forces the flap F outwardly into lthe opening O and srnooths the flap F substantially flush and even with the portion of the can wall W surrounding the opening O. The gradual inclination or curvature of the surface 38 insures the smooth effective action of the surface in ironing or smoothing the aps F and in sealing the openings O closed. As the device continues to move downwardly the groove @il comes opposite the portions of the can wall provided with the closed openings O so that these portions of the tooth 33 thus closes this last opening O againstthe leakage of fluid. The previously formed or out openings O have been closed and sealed through the action of the surface 38 so that there can be no substantial leakage through them. The

can C may then be tipped or inverted to pour its f free of the can. The outward or upward movement of the device relative to the can C during this disengagement of the device from the can results in rotation of the cutter 29 in the direction indicated by the arrow Y in Fig. of the drawing.

. This rotation of the cutter 29 cause-s the tooth 33 to be Withdrawn from the lowermost opening O and brings another tooth S3 into engagement with the flapV F of the lower closed opening O. The edge 35 of this tooth engages the flap F immediately adjacent its lower end andthe surface 35 bears against the iiap to bend the flap inwardly, leaving the opening O substantially unobstructed. This action of the other teeth 33 is repeated during the upward movement of the device so that each of the several openings O is reopened. As the lower tooth 33 remains in the lowermost opening O following the opening of the can and the cutter 2S is held against rotation until'the removal of the device, the teeth 33 are geared to the can and made to again track inthe openings O. This insures the full opening of the openings O. Upon reaching the uppermost opening O the cutter 2S again straddles the bead D without cutting through the bead. The lower portion of the recess 3l is shallow so that the cutter H does not engage or bend the naps F back. into the openings O as the device is removed from the can. It is important to note that the cutter 2e readily reopens the opening-s O by bending the flaps inwardly during the removal of the device from the can so that the operation of the cutter 29 does not require any appreciable effort on the part of the user. The cutter 2.95 merely bends in the flaps F of the previously formed openings O andrvery little force is required to cause the proper operation of the cutter 29 during the removal of the device from the can. The device cannot be removed or disengaged from the can without the formation or re-opening of the openings O. The openings O being in the side wall "W of the can positively render the can unt for reiilling.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific form and application herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any modications or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device for opening cans including, a cutter adapted to be forced throughY a wall of a can to cut a pouring opening therein, a member inV connection with the cutter movable along an-V other wall of the can as the cutter is actuated, means on the member for forming an opening in the second mentioned wall of the can during actuation of the cutter, and means on the cutter for closing the last named opening as the cutter is actuated, the first named means reopening the last named opening as the cutter is removed from the can. V

2. A device for opening cans including, a cutter adapted to be forced through a wall of a can to cut an opening therein, a guide for Vengaging a second wall of the can to guide the cutter, means on the guide for forming an opening in said second wall during actuation of the cutter, and means on the cutter for closing the second named opening as the cutter is actuated, the cutter being incline-d downwardly and toward the guide to provide for the proper engagement of said means with said second wall.

3. A device for opening cans including, a cutter adapted to be forced Vthrough a wall of a can to cut an opening therein, a guide for engaging a second'wall of thercan to guide the cutter, means Von the guide for forming an opening in said second wall during actuation of the cutter, and means on the cutter for closing the second named opening as the cutter is actuated, the first mentioned means reopening the last named opening as the cutter is removed from the can.

4. A device for openingfcans including two elements, one a cutter adapted to be forced through a wall of a can to cut an opening therein, the other a guide for engaging a second wall of the can to guide the cutter, a cutting part on one element operatable to form an opening in said second wall during actuation of the cutter and to reenter the last named opening as the cutter is removed from the can, and means on the other element for temporarily closing the last named opening as the cutter is actuated.

5. A device foropening cans including two elements, one a cutter adapted to be forced through a wall of a can to cut an opening therein, the other a guide for engaging a second wall of the can to guide the cutter, a rotatable member on one element having a cutting tooth to cut an opening in said second wall during actuation of the cutter and to reopen the last named opening as the cutter is removed from the can, and means on the other element for temporarily closing the last named opening as the cutter is actuated.

6. A device for opening cans including two elements, one a cutter adapted to be forced through a wall of a can to cut an opening therein, the other a guide for engaging a second wall of the can to guide the cutter, a cutting part on one element operatable to cut an opening in said second Wall and to bend a iiap from the opening as the cutter is operated, and means on the other element for bending the flap back into the last named opening as the cutter is actuated.

7. A device for opening cans including two elements, one a cutter adapte-d to be forced through a wall of a can to cut an opening therein, the other a guide for engaging a second wall of the can to guide the cutter, a cutting part on one element operatable to cut an opening in said Ysecond walll andV to bend a flap from the opening asthe cutter is operated, and a surface on the other element for engaging the flap to bend it back into Vthe last named opening as the cutter is actuated, the said part again bending the flap from the opening as the cutter is removed from the can.

8. A device for opening cans'including two elements, one a cutter adapted to be forced through a Wall of a can to cut an opening therein, the other a guide for engaging a second wall of the can to guide the cutter, a rotatable member on one element cutting a pluralityY of openings in said second wall as the cutter is actuated and bending flaps from said openings, and a surface on the other element for temporarily bending the iiaps back into said openings as the cutter is actuated.

' 9. A device for opening cans including, a cutter adapted to be forced through a Wall of a can to form an opening therein, a guide for engaging a second wall of the can to guide the cutter, a rotatable member on the guide having projecting teeth for perforating said second Wall as the cutter is actuated, and a surface on the cutter for engaging the flaps formed during the perforating action to bend them into the perforations as the cutter is actuated.

v 1Q. A device for opening cans including, a cutter adapted to be forced through a Wall of a can to form an opening therein, a guide for engaging a second Wall of the can to guide the cutter, a rotatable member on the guide having projecting teeth for perforating said second Wall as the cutter is actuated, there being a recess in the cutter for receiving the projecting teeth, and a part on the cutter at the recess for bending the flaps formed by said perforating back into the perforaticns, the teeth bending the flaps from the perforations as the cutter is removed from the can.

l1. A device for opening cans including, a cutter adapted to be forced through a Wall of a can to form an opening therein, a guide for engaging a second Wall of the can to guide the cutter, a rotatable member on the guide having projecting teeth for perforating said second Wall as the cutter is actuated, there being a recess in the cutter for receiving the projecting teeth, and a part on the cutter at the recess for bending the flaps formed by said perforating back into the perforations, the cutter having a groove for opposing the perforated portions of said second Wall, the teeth bending the flaps from the perforations as the cutter is removed from the can.

12. A device for opening cans including, a cutter adapted to be forced through a Wall of a can to form an opening therein, a guide for engaging a second rWall of the can to guide the cutter, the guide having an opening, a member rotatable in the opening of the guide, and teeth on the member projecting from the guide to perforate the said second Wall as the cutter is actuated, the cutter having a recess for receiving the projecting teeth, said recess having a Wall which bends back the flaps formed by the perforating action.

13. A device for opening cans including, a cutter adapted to be forced through a Wall of a can to form an opening therein, a guide for engaging a second Wall of the can to guide the cutter, a rotatable member on the guide having projecting teeth for perforating said second Wall as the cutter is actuated, each tooth having a cutting edge for cutting through said second Wall and a substantially at surface joining said edge to bend back a flap from the cut, and a surface on the cutter for engaging the aps formed during the perforating action to bend them into the perforations as the cutter is actuated.

14. A device for opening cans including a body comprising a spout, and a guide for engaging the side wail of a can, a cutter on the body adapted to cut a pouring opening in an end of the can, means on the guide for cutting an opening in the side Wall during actuation of the cutter, and means associated with the cutter for closing the last mentioned opening until the cutter is removed from the can.

15. A device for opening cans including, a cutter adapted to be forced through a Wall of a can to out an opening therein, a guide for engaging a second Wall of the can to guide the cutter, means on the guide for forming an opening in said second Wall during actuation of the cutter, and means on the cutter for closing the second named opening until the cutter is removed from the can.

16. A device for opening cans including two elements, one a cutter adapted to be forced through a Wall of a can to form an opening therein, the other a guide member movable on a second Wall of the can during actuation of the cutter, a cutting part on one element operable to cut an opening in said second Wall as the cutter is actuated, and means on the other element for temporarily closing the last named opening as the cutter is actuated, the said other element being relieved to clear the portion of said second Wall acted on by the cutting part.

1'7. A device for opening cans including a body comprising a handle, and a guide adapted to cooperate With a side Wall of a can, there being a pouring opening in the handle whereby the handle forms a spout, a cutter on the body adapted to be forced through an end Wall of the can to form an opening therein through Which the contents of the can may be drained out through the pouring opening, a cutting part on the guide operable to cut an opening in said side Wall as the cutter is actuated, and means on the cutter for temporarily closing the last mentioned opening.

18. Adevice for opening cans including a body comprising a spout, and a guide for engaging the side Wall o-f a can, a cutter on the body adapted to cut a pouring opening in an end of the can, means on the body for cooperating with the can to removably retain the device thereon, means on the guide for cutting an opening in the side Wall during actuation of the cutter, and means associated with the cutter for closing the last mentioned opening until the cutter is removed from the can.

OZRO N. WISWELL. 

